American Irish Citizens Committee for the Re-Election of Mayor William O'Dwyer Records
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Abstract
The American Irish Citizens Committee for the Re-Election of Mayor William O'Dwyer was formed in 1949 and grew out of a previous entity, the Mayo Men's Committee for the Election of O'Dwyer, Joseph, and Impelletteri. O'Dwyer (1890-1964), a native of Bohola, County Mayo, Ireland, had been elected Mayor of New York in 1945. His 1949 re-election ticket included City Council President Vincent R. Impellitteri and Comptroller Lazarus Joseph. This collection includes reports, minutes, correspondence, financial records, press releases, advertisements, and other printed material generated by the Committee during the 1949 campaign.
Historical/Biographical Note
The American Irish Citizens Committee for the Re-Election of Mayor William O'Dwyer was formed in 1949 to help re-elect O'Dwyer to a second term as Mayor of New York City. It grew out of a previous entity, the Mayo Men's Committee for the Election of O'Dwyer, Joseph, and Impelletteri. Included on O'Dwyer's re-election ticket were City Council President Vincent R. Impellitteri and Comptroller Lazarus Joseph. With their headquarters based in the Hotel Commodore on 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue, the committee worked to raise funds, generate publicity, and successfully turn out the Irish vote for the three candidates. Officers of the Committee included: Martin Killeen, Chairman; John Kerry O'Donnell, Treasurer; James FitzPatrick, Financial Secretary; and Hon. Francis T. Murphy, Chairman, Executive Board.
William O'Dwyer (1890-1964), a native of Bohola, County Mayo in Ireland, emigrated to New York City in 1910. Prior to becoming Mayor in 1946, he served in the United States Army and later worked as a policeman, lawyer, district attorney. He was re-elected in November 1949 and served until August 1950, when he accepted the position of U.S. Ambassador to Mexico.
Sources:
McNickle, Chris. To Be Mayor of New York. NY: Columbia University Press, 1993.
O'Dwyer, William (with Paul O'Dwyer). Beyond the Golden Door. Jamaica, NY: St. Johns University Press, 1987.
Arrangement
The material is arranged alphabetically. An oversize box of advertisements follows the subject files.
Scope and Content Note
The collection consists of reports and minutes, correspondence, financial records, press releases, newspaper ads, radio scripts and printed material generated by the committee from registration week to Election Day, 1949. Of particular interest is the pamphlet This Is O'Dwyer, produced by the committee. Also included in this collection is a newspaper advertisement for the election of William O'Dwyer from his first mayoral campaign in 1945.
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Access Restrictions
Open for research without restrictions.
Use Restrictions
Copyright held by Dorothy Hayden Cuhady, the creator of this collection, was transferred to New York University in 1996. Permission to publish or reproduce materials must be secured from the Tamiment Library.
Preferred Citation
Published citations should take the following form:
Identification of item, date; Collection name; Collection number; box number; folder number;
Archives of Irish America, Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012, New York University Libraries.
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Dorothy Hayden Cudahy in 1996. This collection was part of an accession of materials from Dorothy Hayden Cudahy, who was secretary of the committee and therefore kept the most complete records of its activities. The accession number associated with this gift is 1996.003
Custodial History Note
Gift of Dorothy Hayden Cudahy in 1996. This collection was part of an accession of materials from Dorothy Hayden Cudahy, who was secretary of the committee and therefore kept the most complete records of its activities. The accession number associated with this collection is 1996.003.